Brighton’s most famous fountain is to be turned off at regular intervals so seagull chicks don’t get stuck inside the cascading water.
Seagull rescuer Justin King says he’s been called out three times a day to help get fledglings out of the Victoria Fountain on the Old Steine.
After a callout at 1am this morning, when he rescued ten birds, he called on the council to pause the water flow to let the gulls get out.
Within hours, Brighton and Hove City council agreed to stop the fountain at regular intervals.
Mr King said: “At around 1am this morning, I had to attend yet another volunteer rescue where a further 10 birds had to be pulled out of this fountain. I cannot cope with attending this fountain three times a day anymore.
“I run a group based on donations and I cannot be doing this work free of charge to the point that I am neglecting my own day work and life.
“I am also housing these birds myself at my own cost and it is becoming mentally damaging and killing me.
“The fountain does not need to be on late at night and many wildlife welfare issues are coming up as a result of this.”
Councillor Mitchie Alexander, acting cabinet member for culture, heritage and tourism, said: “We are concerned over reports of fledging gulls experiencing problems in the Victoria Fountain and are acting fast to take steps to reduce any risk to the birds.
“We have amended the fountain’s operating times to include regular periods where the cascading water is switched off, allowing the gulls’ wings to dry so they can fly off and will now monitor the situation and see what impact this has.
“While we are committed to protecting the city’s heritage and allowing residents and visitors to continue to enjoy this much-loved fountain, we will look to reduce any risk to gulls as much as is practically possible.
“We would also politely remind residents of the RSPCB’s advice not to feed gulls, particularly close to the fountain, and would strongly recommend members of the public do not risk their own safety by entering the fountain to try and remove birds.”
Maybe we need to build more of these seagull trap fountains? It sounds like they’re helping to keep the public safe from the gulls?
Hahaha, I saw a poor tourist have an entire hotdog stolen along Queens Road from his hands with absolutely no hesitation the other day! A group of us chuckled and almost in unison…
“Welcome to Brighton!”
Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t this 2024? This fountain is Victorian and has been going for something over 100 years so why is it suddenly a danger to seagulls?
It’s not suddenly a problem, it’s been an annual issue for years, yet every year the council only seem to take preventative action when residents report birds are dying again – why they don’t learn from this and take preventative action sooner is beyond me.
In the past the council has said it won’t make make permanent changes to make access in and out easier for birds because of heritage issues, so preumably they are happy to just let them die every year until enough people are distressed by it and contact them, and they then turn the fountain off for a bit.
Not sure who the RSPCB are – presumably that’s a mix up and should be either RSPB or RSPCA (!?!), but not sure that BHCC allowing the annual problem to rear its head again is following their advice or legal responsibilities.
Maybe the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board are quite concerned about this fountain issue in Brighton?
No RSPCB correct, the Royal Society for Printed Circuit Boards. They’re bidding to create a timer to turn the fountain on and off periodically at a cost of 1.3million. My bid was for a timer plug which cost £5 but it wasn’t a big enough waste of public funds so it was rejected..
This is exactly the reason why councils are a failed system. Contractors just charge the earth for the simplest tasks and the staff that have never dealt with the real world just blindly accept it.
I was sub-contracted to work with the council many years ago, and due to their constant indecision, the whole budget for a job was spent on the council changing their minds on what they wanted. The money was eventually all spent by the fourth re-design and the scheme was then scrapped due to no remaining funds. This is the constant ineptitude of all councils, no matter where or who they are. You put the most inept people in the community in charge of running the city. It isn’t a recipe for success.
But it didn’t cost anything to do this. They just adjusted the fountain timer.
Surely all they need is a smart plug on a timer and the problem is solved. I’m thinking of patenting this unique seagull trapping design in the meantime
It is on a timer! This is what is happening! Did you really a little chap was popping backwards and forwards several times a day to turn it off and on??
Not the sharpest tool this “councillor” lol
Buck up people, how sharp do you have to be to Google RSPCB, here you go https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Society_for_the_Protection_of_Birds tories and greens didn’t act on these reports, but labour have been sharp enough to do so. Brighton loves it’s gulls. What’s our football team called again? Oh yeah….
Just install a few shallow arches at the rims to allow birds through the water.
It really isn’t that difficult. Use a one metre diameter concrete manhole ring (£165) and cut it in half and into segments.
You’re welcome.
I refer you to your previous post above